Toothpick-box



'(No Model.)

I G BUGH 'TOQTHPIQK BOX.

No. 550,247. Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

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All DBLW B GHANA UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE BUCH, OF lVELLSVILLE, ASSIGNOR TO FRED O. GALLMAN, OF ARISTOTLE, NEW YORK.

TOOTH PICK-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,247, dated November 26, 1895.

Application filed March 29, 1895. Serial No. 543,679. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE BU CH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Wellsville, in the county of Allegany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toothpick-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my com bined box or package and holder for toothpicks as it appears when filled and closed up as a merchantable package. Fig. 2 is a per spective View of the same as it appears when used as a toothpick holder or receptacle upon the table or sideboard open and ready for use. Fig. 3 is a plan of my combined toothpick box and holder or receptacle as it appears in the flat or before being formed into a box and filled with picks. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the middle of the box placed on end as when used as a toothpick-holder.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the box closed up, and Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the manner of folding the flat blank to form the box and filling it with toothpicks.

Like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to boxes or packages made of paper or pasteboard for holding toothpicks; and my improvement consists in the detailed construction, combination, and arrangement of parts of the box which adapts it to be used not merely as an ordinary paper box for containing the toothpicks when oflered for sale, but also permits of its additional or secondary use as a convenient holder or receptacle for the picks when these are exposed on the table or sideboard ready for use, thus forming in itself a new article of manufacture, as willbe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

On the accompanying drawings the reference-letter'A denotes that part or section of the shaped paper blank, cut or stamped'of the configuration shown in Fig. 3, which.constitutes the bottom of the box or package when the blank is folded up and closed. The adjacent sections B and B will then form the two sides of the box; 0, the top part or cover; 0, the opposite cover-flap, with its tongue 0, and D D the two end pieces, which are integral with the bottom section A, from which they are divided by two parallelside creases a and a, (shown in dotted lines,) one at each end of the bottom piece, and which are extended parallel to each other along the entire length of the blank from end to end.

Referring to the crease marked a a onthe left side of the fiat blank, Fig. 3, it will be observed that this crease also forms a triangular wing or extension E, adjacent to and integral with the top section 0 and provided with a hook-shaped tongue 0. Below this comes the side flap F, adjacent to and integral with the side sectionB. Next comes the end piece D, and below this again the side flap F, adjacent to and integral with the side section B, said side flaps F and F appertaining, respectively, to the side pieces or sections B and B, being about one-half the width of the intermediate end piece D. At the bottom or lower end of the blank is the triangular cover flap or closure 0, with its hook-shaped tongue 0, and on the opposite side of the blank, separated from the middle sections or body parts 0, B, A, and B by the transverse continuous crease a, is a row of flaps G, H, I, and J, all of the same size and configuration and corresponding, respectively, to the opposite end fiapsE, F, D, and F. Each of these right-hand flaps has sloping sides terminating in a pair of diverging hook-shaped proj ections j j, forming feet for the device when this is opened,set on end, and used as a holder or receptacle for the toothpicks packed in it. Another crease (indicated by the interrupted line marked 1)) is made in the blank parallel to and between the end creases a and a, but much nearer to the latter than the former, and between these two adjacent and parallel creases a and a the box-sections O,- B, A, and B are divided from one another and segregated by three short parallel cuts or slits b Z) Z), made in the paper blank and extending from the right-side crease a to the parallel bodycrease b. By these parallel slits b it will be seen that each body-section is made to consist of two partsi. 6., the body parts properviz., C, B, A, and B-and flap-like lateral extensions of the same widthviz., (1, B A, and B"which are again integral with their appropriate lateral extensions or end flaps G, II, I, and J.

From the foregoing description,taken in connection with the several figures 011 the drawings, the manner of folding up and closing the flat blank to form the box, as well as the manner of subsequently using the box as a holder or receptacle for its contents upon the table or sideboard, will readily be understood. lo construct and fill the package, (which are by preference simultaneous operations,) one of the flats is placed upon the table. The operator grasps a handful of toothpicks from a receptacle placed conveniently near, places the bunch upon the flat blank, and then folds and partially closes the blank by folding it along the transverse creases, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3,) which divide the body-sections G, '3, A, and

3 from one another, forming continuations or extensions of the end slits b b I). By now inserting the flaptongue 0 into its registering crescent-shaped slot 0 in the top part 0 the package will be partly formed, as illustrated in full line in Fig. 6, with the batch or bundle of toothpicks inside, after which both ends are folded down along the end creases a and aQrcspeci-ively, and fastened by interlocking the tongue 0 and slot 6 at one end and the hooked tongue markedj and its registering crescent-shaped slot 1' at the other end, thus completing the box, as shown in Fig. 1, and finishing the job by slipping a small rubber band K around it lengthwise.

Vhen the package is to be opened and used, instead of emptying the box and providing another receptacle to place the toothpicks in, only the slitted end of the box is opened by withdrawing or unlocking the tongue j from its slot 1?, and the four sides (or ends) of the box are folded down or doubled over the outside of the box along the inner bodycrease Z) and held in place close up against the sides by slipping the rubber band K around the box. \Vhen so arranged and adjusted, it will be seen that the box forms a very neat and convenient holder or receptacle, supported on ornamental feet j, with the toothpicks exposed and projecting from the open. end in such a manner that they can be readily withdrawn from the box as required.

It is my intention, by the use of color or chromatic printing, to make the box very neat and ornamei'ltal in appearance by properly printing and embellishin g the same with suitable ornamental designs while in the flat, and I further propose to utilize this device largely as an advertising medium by printing advertisements upon the inside faces of the folding leg-flaps, so that they will be exposed to view when these flaps are folded down in opening the box and adjusting it for use upon the table or sideboard as a tootln pick holder or receptacle.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States-- As an article of manufacture, the hereindescribed combin ed paper package and holder or receptacle for tooth picks, comprising a blank or flat of the configuration shown in Fig. 3, having the body-crease Z) in addition and parallel to the usual end-pieces (L and a"; end-fiaps G, II, I and J of even size and shape, and provided with the feet j j arranged in pairs; and parallel end-slits Z1 1) 1) extending from and at right angles to the end-crease a, to the inner parallel bodycrease 12; substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE BUCII.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. F. WELLs, EDWIN W. COATS. 

